This invention relates to an apparatus for the fabrication of board-like products from plant fibers.
Proposals have been heretofore made relating to the formation of board-like products from plant fibers, as demonstrated by the following U.S. Patents Nos.: 2,592,470 issued to Ryberg on Apr. 8, 1952; No. 2,648,262 issued to Croston et al on Aug. 11, 1953; No. 2,717,420 issued to Roy on Sept. 13, 1955; No. 2,853,413 issued to Christian on Sept. 23, 1958; No. 3,164,511 issued to Elmendorf on Jan. 5, 1965; and No. 4,025,278 issued to the present inventor on May 24, 1977. These proposals include the steps of selectively orienting the fibers forcing the fibers through an elongate extrusion-like passage in which they are compressed together, and curing a binder material such as a resin borne by the fibers to form a matrix which unites the fibers. The proposals suggest the utilization of various types of plant fibers, such as wood, peat moss, straw and sugarcane for example.
In the fabrication of board products which simulate natural wood boards in strength and appearance, it is necessary to align the fibers longitudinally and to compress the fibers together in a manner creating a generally uniform density throughout the length and width of the board. This has been difficult to achieve in the extrusion passages of the above-referenced patents, especially in a manner rapid enough to be commercially feasible.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to present a new approach to the art of forming plant fibers into boards.
It is another object of the invention to provide novel apparatus for forming board-like products from the fibers of plants.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such apparatus which solve problems such as those discussed previously and are adapted to high rate commercial production.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a platen assembly containing spaced platens which define fiber-receiving chambers therebetween, which assembly can be indexed to align successive chambers with a fiber insertion mechanism.
It is a further object of the invention to provide novel apparatus for orienting plant fibers in parallel relationship.
It is another object of the invention to provide novel apparatus to produce boards from plant fibers which are of essentially uniform density throughout.